e - flux Journal Self-Design and Aesthetic Responsibility : Boris Groys

Some parts of this reading I found resonated with my thoughts on self design and aesthetic and some contradicted, I will display quotes which stood out to me and analyse them.

"the artist becomes the artwork"

This shows the importance in the artist understanding what they are creating, how it works and why it is successful, in only this circumstance will the "artwork" have powerful imagery and intent.

"self-design is a practice that unites artist and audience alike in the most radical way."

The way that something is presented creates an emotional relationship between the creator and the viewer, art is personal and showing it to others opens up the artists personal life, feelings and emotions. The way it's designed and portrays certain views can cause very impact and memorable emotions on the viewers.

"while design makes an object look better... raises suspicion that this object would look especially ugly and repellent were its designed surface to be removed"

I took this in terms of how art direction is used in todays society usually in promotion. This shows the depth of importance in aesthetics being a key part of making an object desirable. If you want a viewer to want to prolong the experiences you are showing them through your design they have to have a means to want to look at it in the first place.

Paragraphs 9 and 10 details "zero design"

"zero design" is a concept that when all design is removed from a object it does not appear to be aesthetic.

In creating thew book, I used what I can only assume is "zero design" where often what I was photographing was simple taken just as is. There was little design surrounding or displaying the object, colour or texture. However I would argue that this in its self is design. In the artless it was that this is not minimalism, but I just cannot un see that it doubtably uses aspects of minimalist design. when something lacks a lot or any art direction, whether it is considered or not, this can appear to be a form of minimalist display.

"western art... a walking catastrophe... the artist being explicitly cynical- greedy, manipulative, buisness-oriented, seeking only material profit and implementing art as a machine for deceiving the audience" and "price immunises the artwork from public taste to a certain degree"

There will always be a push back against the capitalist art world. To avoid this aggression, one must not be overly boastful when it comes to their creations. Visual pleasure comes through a certain extent of honesty, honesty meant in terms of simple pleasures and life. lavishness and gloating is not usually appreciated amongst viewers.

"though the price of an artwork is the quantifiable rest of an aesthetic value that has been identified with it, the respect paid to an artwork due to its price does not by any means translate automatically into any form of binding appreciation. The binding value of art can thus be sought only in noncommercial, if not directly anti-commercial practices."

The price that one puts into the work doesn't always turn around in the value of the work. Proving my conclusion that one can direct successfully on a small budget if they know what they are doing and understand aesthetic value. Furthermore, the mentality put into the work and the thought that goes into it, often emotionally contributes to its viewers, therefore its desirability will be greater, leading it a greater economical value.

https://www.e-flux.com/journal/07/61386/self-design-and-aesthetic-responsibility/

research This page is part of the collection 'part 3'.

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